‘Shrek the Musical’ is BHS spring show

BRAINERD — An ogre, a donkey and princess walk onto a stage.

Add in some song, and instead of the punchline of a joke, you’ve got the 2025 spring show from Brainerd High School’s theater department.

But there will be jokes, too.

“Shrek the Musical” debuts Thursday, April 10, and continues on Saturday and Sunday, April 11-12.

Theater Director Karla Shepherd-Johnson said she’s loved the movie version of “Shrek” since she was a kid, making this show an easy choice.

“I love how every actor has a moment to shine in this show because it’s such a big ensemble piece,” she said during rehearsal on Monday, April 7.With cast, technical crew and pit music, 65 students are involved in the show, which Shepherd-Johnson described as light-hearted and whimsical.

Leading the cast is junior Vincent Johnson-Ding, playing the titular green ogre in what he described as his little kid dream come true. The musical version of the show, he said, made him think deeper about the character.

“He’s very reclusive,” Johnson-Ding said. “I feel like I can see that a lot in my life now, as I’m older, being reclusive and the feeling that being rejected and being different, it feels easier to be by yourself rather than trying to have friends.”

There’s a line in a number at the very end of the music that especially resonates with Johnson-Ding, when he says: “It’s a big, bright, beautiful world, and I see it now, and I’ll let it in.”

“And it makes me really happy to hear that,” he said, “because even if it’s a fictional character, I’m just so glad that this character gets that resolution where he finds out he deserves to be loved, and his feelings are valid.”

Portraying Shrek’s leading lady is freshman Bella Herfindahl as Princess Fiona in her first Brainerd High School production.

“It’s very stressful but very exciting,” she said Monday.

Compared with movie Fiona, Herfindahl said musical Fiona is more hot-headed and a little meaner.

“I kill more animals, and I have more songs. I fart more. I just do everything better,” Herfindahl said.

Rounding out the three leading roles is Sam Kalthoff as Donkey.

He’s funny, quirky, clueless and all about the brighter side of life.

“He kind of ignores any negativity, and instead he just takes it and makes it happy in his way,” Kalthoff said. “He always has a positive attitude and always loves to express himself in song or just anything quirky or fun.”

Kalthoff sees a lot of himself in this role and loves being able to tell jokes and tap into his quirky side.

The show, he said, promises audience members a glimpse at new sides of characters, who get to express themselves differently through music.

“And I really enjoy that about music in general,” Kalthoff said.

The addition of music, Herfindahl agreed, makes the stage show even better than the movie. While both are comedies, she said the music elevates the story and takes it up to a 10, as music tends to do.

One of Shepherd-Johnson’s favorite parts of the show is the musical trio that takes place among three actors portraying Fiona in three different stages of her life — child, teen and adult.

“It’s just a beautiful trio,” she said.

What: “Shrek the Musical” staged by Brainerd High School Theater.

When: 7 p.m. Thursday, April 10, and Saturday, April 12; 2 p.m. Saturday, April 12, and Sunday 13.

Where: Gichi-ziibi Center for the Arts in Brainerd.

How much: Tickets are $7 for students and seniors and $9 for adults. They can be purchased at the door an hour prior to each performance or online at gofan.co/app/school/MN19544 .

THERESA BOURKE may be reached at theresa.bourke@brainerddispatch.com or 218-855-5860. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/DispatchTheresa.